Robert Miller (accused spy)
Encyclopedia
Robert Talbott Miller III or Bob Miller (April 5, 1910 - January 1999) was an American
citizen who worked in the United States Department of State Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs
during World War II
. He was alleged to be part of the Soviet espionage
group known as the "Golos ring
".
, and lived in Baltimore, Maryland. In August 1934, he moved to Moscow
and worked as a correspondent for the Chattanooga News
until 1937. In Moscow, Miller met and married his wife, Jenny Levy
, an American. In 1937, Miller became press agent for the Spanish Republican
government. In 1939, the Millers moved to New York City
, and Miller became President of the Hemisphere News Service and editor of its weekly publication, Hemisphere. Jack Fahy
, another suspected spy for the Soviet Union, was Vice President and Treasurer. Miller was known to be meeting with Jacob Golos
as early as February 1941 in New York. Sometime that same year, the Millers relocated to Washington D.C. so that he could take employment as an analyst for the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA) in the Department of Commerce at a good salary. He later became Director of the Division of Reports of the CIAA. About this time, Miller allegedly began supplying information to Elizabeth Bentley
for the Golos network. Miller had access to information from the Office of Naval Intelligence
(ONI), Army G-2 (Intelligence), the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS), and the FBI concerning Latin America
n affairs. The material Miller allegedly provided Bentley for transmission to Soviet intelligence
always concerned Communist or Russian activities in Latin America
.
In September 1941, the Hemisphere News Service moved to Washington D.C. and became the Export Information Bureau, managed by Joseph Gregg, and received a contract to do exclusive research work for the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. At the same time, Robert Miller became a research analyst with the CIAA. The Export Information Bureau was subsequently absorbed into the CIAA.
In December 1941, Miller was interviewed by D.M. Ladd of the FBI about a request to investigate several individuals and organizations for CIAA, including an organization called the "Society for Pan-American Confraternity". In February 1942, at the request of Undersecretary James Forrestal
, FBI Special Agent Jerry Doyle had lunch with John Nitze, a former employee of Forrestal. Nitze was accompanied by Miller, who was described as being in charge of intelligence for the CIAA. Nitze explained that Miller provided intelligence reports for both the Board of Economic Warfare
(BEW) and the CIAA which were prepared from information supplied by the FBI, Office of Naval Intelligence and Army G-2.
In July 1944, Miller transferred to the Near Eastern Division of the United States Department of State and handled confidential matters between the United States
and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. By August 1944, it was established Miller had a connection with Greg Silvermaster, head of the Silvermaster group. Miller was also was a close associate of Maurice Halperin
, who worked for the OSS, State Department, and Soviet intelligence. Charles Flato
of the Office of Economic warfare
and the Foreign Economic Administration
was also one of Miller's contacts.
Miller resigned from the State Department in December 1946. According to Anatoly Gorsky
's memo, "Failures in the U.S.A. (1938–1948)," December 1948: in Alexander Vassiliev's Notes from the KGB Archive. Miller's codename was "Mirage." "Mirage," is one of the codenames in The Venona Papers that was not identified by other sources.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen who worked in the United States Department of State Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs
Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs
The Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs was a United States agency promoting inter-American cooperation during the 1940s, especially in commercial and economic areas...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was alleged to be part of the Soviet espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
group known as the "Golos ring
Jacob Golos
Jacob Golos, , was a Ukrainian-born Bolshevik revolutionary of ethnic Jewish heritage who became a secret police operative on behalf of the USSR in the United States...
".
Biography
Miller was born April 5, 1910, in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, and lived in Baltimore, Maryland. In August 1934, he moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and worked as a correspondent for the Chattanooga News
Chattanooga Times Free Press
The Chattanooga Times Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is distributed in the metro Chattanooga region of Tennessee and Northwest Georgia...
until 1937. In Moscow, Miller met and married his wife, Jenny Levy
Jenny Levy Miller
Jenny Miller, née Jenny Levy was an American journalist. With her husband, Robert Talbott Miller, III, she is alleged to have participated in covert espionage activities for the Soviet Union during the Stalinist period.-Biography:...
, an American. In 1937, Miller became press agent for the Spanish Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
government. In 1939, the Millers moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and Miller became President of the Hemisphere News Service and editor of its weekly publication, Hemisphere. Jack Fahy
Jack Fahy
Jack Bradley Fahy was an American government official. He allegedly spied for the Soviet Naval GRU during World War II. Soviet naval intelligence was much smaller than the Soviet army's GRU, and only a fraction of the size of the KGB....
, another suspected spy for the Soviet Union, was Vice President and Treasurer. Miller was known to be meeting with Jacob Golos
Jacob Golos
Jacob Golos, , was a Ukrainian-born Bolshevik revolutionary of ethnic Jewish heritage who became a secret police operative on behalf of the USSR in the United States...
as early as February 1941 in New York. Sometime that same year, the Millers relocated to Washington D.C. so that he could take employment as an analyst for the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA) in the Department of Commerce at a good salary. He later became Director of the Division of Reports of the CIAA. About this time, Miller allegedly began supplying information to Elizabeth Bentley
Elizabeth Bentley
Elizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American spy for the Soviet Union from 1938 until 1945. In 1945 she defected from the Communist Party and Soviet intelligence and became an informer for the U.S. She exposed two networks of spies, ultimately naming over 80 Americans who had engaged in espionage for...
for the Golos network. Miller had access to information from the Office of Naval Intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
(ONI), Army G-2 (Intelligence), the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS), and the FBI concerning Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n affairs. The material Miller allegedly provided Bentley for transmission to Soviet intelligence
Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies
There was a succession of Soviet secret police agencies over time. The first secret police after the Russian Revolution, created by Vladimir Lenin's decree on December 20, 1917, was called "Cheka"...
always concerned Communist or Russian activities in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
In September 1941, the Hemisphere News Service moved to Washington D.C. and became the Export Information Bureau, managed by Joseph Gregg, and received a contract to do exclusive research work for the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. At the same time, Robert Miller became a research analyst with the CIAA. The Export Information Bureau was subsequently absorbed into the CIAA.
In December 1941, Miller was interviewed by D.M. Ladd of the FBI about a request to investigate several individuals and organizations for CIAA, including an organization called the "Society for Pan-American Confraternity". In February 1942, at the request of Undersecretary James Forrestal
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....
, FBI Special Agent Jerry Doyle had lunch with John Nitze, a former employee of Forrestal. Nitze was accompanied by Miller, who was described as being in charge of intelligence for the CIAA. Nitze explained that Miller provided intelligence reports for both the Board of Economic Warfare
Board of Economic Warfare
The Office of Administrator of Export Control was established in the United States by Presidential Proclamation 2413, July 2, 1940, to administer export licensing provisions of the act of July 2, 1940 . Brigadier General Russell Lamont Maxwell, United States Army, headed up this military entity...
(BEW) and the CIAA which were prepared from information supplied by the FBI, Office of Naval Intelligence and Army G-2.
In July 1944, Miller transferred to the Near Eastern Division of the United States Department of State and handled confidential matters between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. By August 1944, it was established Miller had a connection with Greg Silvermaster, head of the Silvermaster group. Miller was also was a close associate of Maurice Halperin
Maurice Halperin
Maurice Hyman Halperin was an American writer, professor, diplomat, and Soviet spy .-Biography:...
, who worked for the OSS, State Department, and Soviet intelligence. Charles Flato
Charles Flato
Charles S. Flato was an American writer, American Communist Party member and a Soviet agent....
of the Office of Economic warfare
Board of Economic Warfare
The Office of Administrator of Export Control was established in the United States by Presidential Proclamation 2413, July 2, 1940, to administer export licensing provisions of the act of July 2, 1940 . Brigadier General Russell Lamont Maxwell, United States Army, headed up this military entity...
and the Foreign Economic Administration
Foreign Economic Administration
In the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Foreign Economic Administration was formed to relieve friction between US agencies operating abroad. As described by the biographer of the FEA's chief, Leo Crowley, the agency was designed and run by "The Nation's #1 Pinch-hitter".S. L...
was also one of Miller's contacts.
Miller resigned from the State Department in December 1946. According to Anatoly Gorsky
Anatoly Gorsky
Anatoly Veniaminovich Gorsky , was a Soviet spy who, under cover as First Secretary "Anatoly Borisovich Gromov" of the Soviet Embassy in Washington, was secretly rezident in the United States at the end of World War II.-Career:Gorsky joined the Soviet secret police in 1928 and worked in the...
's memo, "Failures in the U.S.A. (1938–1948)," December 1948: in Alexander Vassiliev's Notes from the KGB Archive. Miller's codename was "Mirage." "Mirage," is one of the codenames in The Venona Papers that was not identified by other sources.
Source
- Elizabeth Bentley, Out of Bondage: The Story of Elizabeth Bentley, Devin-Adair Company, 1951
- FBI Silvermaster file, 2c pgs. 258-270
- FBI Silvermaster file, 4b pgs. 166-173